Demand for analysts of computer network systems and data communications increased by an impressive 55 percent in Manhattan during the third quarter, according to the latest Pace SkillPROOF IT Index (PSII), which measures computing job openings. Overall, the Manhattan index registered 110 for the third quarter, approximately 2 percent lower than in the previous quarter and down more than 7 percent from a year ago.

In Westchester County, the PSII registered 158, approximately 1 percent higher than the 156 of the previous quarter.

In a longer perspective, the researchers note that in Manhattan “the trend line is steady and the market has remained above the trend for five consecutive quarters. The 2 percent decline in the third quarter, following a better than 1 percent increase in the second quarter, is an indicator of the dynamic nature of this industry, particularly in Manhattan.”

North of the city, “given the condition of the job market as a whole and considering the strong showing of the first quarter,” the meagerness of the increase in Westchester “is not of great concern,” they write. “Relative to the third quarter of the previous year, the Index increased by more than 12 percent, much stronger than in the previous three years.”

Of the 11 categories that comprise the Manhattan PSII, all declined approximately 10 percent each, except for the spike in demand for Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts. This profession also dominated the year-over-year comparison, with an increase of nearly 70 percent, while seven of the other categories declined over the past year.

In Westchester, seven of the categories increased, one declined, and three remained flat. The greatest increase was for Computer Support Specialists up 130 percent, followed by Software Engineers, Systems up 45 percent. On an annual basis, Computer Support Specialists had the largest year-to-year growth at over 200 percent.

The PSII is a composite index produced by Pace using data from the SkillPROOF company that provides a snapshot of IT job openings at major firms in separate reports for Manhattan and Westchester County. The 11 standard IT job categories are those defined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Relationship management

“Although there are signs that IT jobs are opening up, corporations are cautious about making the capital investments that drive IT projects and fuel IT hiring,” said Mike Egbert, an account technology strategist for Microsoft Corporation who is a graduate student in the Doctor of Professional Studies program at Pace, writing in a sidebar of the report. “As a result, most companies will defer new IT projects – the nature of which determines the types of skills and expertise required.

“I advise people that the most important part of job seeking is knowing how to network – not how to write beautiful Java code. Building relationships and networking are primary steps in positioning yourself for the right IT opportunity.

“Areas in demand today are in security and business analysis, aka relationship management. Many companies like Accenture, IBM Global Services and Microsoft are looking for bright people who have strong technical, communication, strategic, project management and business skills.”

The Index partners. The PSII was developed and is calculated by Farrokh Hormozi, an economist and chair of the public administration department at Pace’s Dyson College of Arts and Sciences. It is based on labor market data showing actual, listed openings that is provided by Henning Seip of SkillPROOF, Inc. The index is produced under the auspices of Pace’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems. www.seidenberg.pace.edu

About Pace University

For 105 years, Pace University has educated thinking professionals by providing high quality education for the professions on a firm base of liberal learning amid the advantages of the New York metropolitan area. A private university, Pace has campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York, enrolling nearly 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in its Lubin School of Business, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, College of Health Professions, School of Education, School of Law, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems. www.pace.edu

SkillPROOF Inc. is a technology firm specializing in job market research. Headquartered in Bridgeport, Connecticut, since 2003 it has tracked and analyzed job openings from brand name employers in the United States, using proprietary Internet technology. www.skillproof.com

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